Creating a paradise in an ant nest

Chapter 86 Daily Beast Taming Routine, Boss's Difficulties

Six months later.

Miniature herbal garden.

In the pavilion built by Liu He from century-old agarwood, he leaned back in a rocking chair, leisurely savoring freshly picked Moonlight Spirit Grapes.

The batch of spiritual plant seedlings he bought from Lingxiao Market six months ago have matured after being nurtured daily with the Green Soil Root Cultivation Technique.

The wooden table before me was laden with various fragrant and sweet spiritual fruits: fresh, palm-sized Bodhi seed spiritual berries; moonlight spiritual grapes, each shimmering white in the moonlight; and water droplet spiritual fruits, as blue as a lake.

"Eight Desolations, here you go."

As Liu He savored the grapes, he tossed out a Moonlight Spirit Grape.

The Eight Desolations, who were watching eagerly and waiting, were practically drooling. Before the Moonlight Spirit Grape even landed, they leaped up and swallowed it whole.

In just six months, it grew very quickly, from a cub the size of a hand to a half-grown spirit dog two feet long, even larger than Jiuyou.

When it grows up, it can reach the sixth level of Qi Refining. It is a majestic wilderness spirit dog with a body length of 10 feet, a back height of 6 feet, and a weight of 500 catties.

Liu He initially bought the "poor-looking" pet from the Spirit Pet Pavilion, which was simply thin and weak due to malnutrition.

It was gone before it could even taste the flavor, and the greedy animal begged its owner for more.

"You must have been a gluttonous beast in your past life."

As Liu He spoke, he tossed it a few more Moonlight Spirit Grapes.

He had already discovered Bahuang's gluttonous nature; he loved to eat almost anything. He ate his fill of beast food every day, and also various spiritual plants.

It especially loves the jade melon, and will even eat the melon rind clean.

But there is one thing it dislikes: the ancient spirit tree.

Liu He drinks water infused with the roots of the Eternal Spirit Tree every day, thinking that such a precious third-tier spiritual plant should be beneficial to spirit beasts, but he finds that neither the Eight Desolations nor the Nine Netherworlds like it.

He guessed that the Eternal Spirit Tree's effects were limited to human cultivators and had little effect on spirit beasts.

Unlike the gluttonous Eight Desolations, the Nine Netherworlds only eat animal food and not spiritual plants.

Jiuyou wouldn't stick to Liu He's side every day waiting to be fed; instead, it would hide in some corner to rest, only appearing when Liu He called it.

"Woof woof~~"

The only time Liu He discovered that Jiu You ate food other than animal food was when the ant colony hunted a spirit insect, a grasshopper.

As the ants carried the spirit insects and grasshoppers back to their nest to share, Jiuyou sensed their presence and mingled among the ants, picking out the parts it preferred. It didn't eat everything; it only consumed the clean, spirit-like flesh.

"After tomorrow morning's meeting, I'll go ask Senior Brother Fu for leave and go to Lingxiao Market."

Liu He thought to himself.

It has been a year and a half since he broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refining, and he has only managed to condense thirteen strands of spiritual energy in his dantian, which is indeed too slow.

A few days ago, he met Wang Yarong and learned during their chat that she had already condensed thirty strands of spiritual energy, not far from the forty strands needed to reach the fifth level of Qi Refining. At her cultivation speed, she should be able to break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining in about six months.

It should be noted that Wang Yarong broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refining one or two months later than him.

"It just so happens that Steward Meng will be leading a team to Lingxiao Market in a few days."

Liu He had just visited Lingxiao Market six months ago, and according to the sect's benefits, he could only go there again after a year.

However, that was a "benefit" of the sect, not a restriction.

The sect does not restrict its disciples from going to Lingxiao Market a certain number of times each year, nor does it restrict them from going out for short periods of time. This is a benefit given to them: each year they can go to Lingxiao Market under the protection of the sect's Foundation Establishment cultivators.

In other words, as long as Liu He doesn't neglect his duties at the Spirit Wood Garden, he can ask for leave to leave the sect.

He was acquainted with Meng Kaizhou and learned that Meng Yunxiang would be leading a team to Lingxiao Market in a few days, with Meng Kaizhou going along as well. So he asked Meng Kaizhou to help him inform Manager Meng.

This was a trivial matter, and Meng Yunxiang naturally did not refuse.

Therefore, as long as Liu He and Commander Fu ask for leave, they can go out to Lingxiao Market.

"Meng Kaizhou condensed twenty-eight strands of spiritual energy, which is slower than Wang Yarong's. But he said he would go to Lingxiao Market to buy a Spirit Pill, so his breakthrough to the fifth level of Qi Refining is estimated to be faster than Wang Yarong's."

There are two common types of elixirs suitable for improving cultivation at the fourth level of Qi Refining: the Five-Element Elixir and the Ten-Element Elixir.

The Five Spirit Pills are available at the Spirit Pill Pavilion in the sect's market. One pill can increase five strands of spiritual energy, saving Liu He nearly a year of cultivation time. The price isn't too expensive either, only one hundred and twenty spirit stones.

The Shiling Pill is more effective, increasing spiritual energy by ten strands with each pill. It costs 220 spirit stones, making it more cost-effective than the Wuling Pill.

However, the Qian Yuan Holy Sect's internal market does not have the Shi Ling Dan, and the Ling Dan Peak does not have the recipe for refining the Shi Ling Dan. Therefore, one can only buy it from the Ling Xiao Market, where the Ling Xiao Sword Sect can refine the Shi Ling Dan.

"I'm going to Lingxiao Market to sell a batch of spiritual plants, buy a Spirit Pill, and some resources that can enhance the strength and potential of the Eight Desolations and the Nine Netherworlds."

Liu He was making plans.

Seeing that Wang Yarong and Meng Kaizhou's cultivation levels were advancing by leaps and bounds, he didn't need to deliberately slow down his own cultivation progress; he could speed it up a bit.

Just buy one Spirit Pill and put it in the ant nest, and that will be enough to help him break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining.

The next day.

During the routine morning meeting under Commander Fu, after he arranged the recent tasks, everyone dispersed.

Liu He stepped forward: "Senior Brother Fu, I would like to ask for leave to go out for a while."

"Oh? What for?" Fu Shuai raised an eyebrow, his expression serious.

"Let's go to Lingxiao Market."

"Didn't you just go there half a year ago? It's not time for your sect's benefits yet."

Lingmu Garden has been very busy lately, so please don't go out.

Coach Fu did not approve Liu He's request for leave.

If Liu He uses the sect's benefits, then Commander Fu has no choice but to agree.

This was a normal request for leave, and as a superior, Fu Shuai had the right to refuse.

He still remembered that Liu He had refused to be taken in as a confidant half a year ago.

"Um—I really have nothing else to do in the forest area. I'll go with Manager Meng this time, and we'll be back the next day. It'll only take a little over a day, so it won't interfere with my work in the forest area."

Liu He was puzzled. Why was he not allowed to take a short leave of absence, which was less than two days after leaving the sect?

"What business do you have going to Lingxiao Market?"

With your monthly salary, you probably can't afford any valuable resources. You can buy ordinary resources in the Zongnei Market, so why bother going to Lingxiao Market?

If you absolutely must go to Lingxiao Market to buy it, just find someone you know to bring it back for you. Why waste two days?

Fu Shuai still refused.

When saying "Your monthly salary can't buy any precious resources," there was a subtle hint of sarcasm in the tone.

"Well—okay."

Liu He didn't expect his plan to get stuck at the "taking leave" step.

He was certain that Marshal Fu was deliberately making things difficult for him.

What kind of boss would be so strict as to not even allow a simple request for leave?

When did he offend Marshal Fu?

After much thought, it all came down to the fact that Liu He had ignored the intention to recruit Shuai Fu when he hinted to Liu He to deliver a birthday gift half a year ago.

"Since Senior Brother Fu doesn't agree, I won't go."

Liu He had no choice but to take his leave; he couldn't very well beg Marshal Fu in a lowly manner.

As Fu Shuai watched Liu He's departing figure, a sense of exhilaration rose within him, as if he had Liu He under his control.

"Hmph, those who don't know how to flatter their superiors will surely suffer."

After encountering many setbacks, you'll naturally learn.

Tan Linong has already reached the fifth level of Qi Refining, while you still need to hone your skills at the fourth level for two or three years. One step behind means you'll always be behind, forever lagging behind.

Just recently, Tan Linong broke through to the fifth level of Qi Refining. Back in Tianliangyuan, he broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refining only half a year earlier than Liu He.

In just two years, he has broken through to the fifth level of Qi Refining, which is considered rapid progress for someone with a low-grade spiritual root.

While in Tianliangyuan, Tan Linong showed no particular talent, but after joining Fu Shuai's forces in Lingmuyuan, his talent suddenly became apparent, and he became a cultivator whose cultivation progressed rapidly.

The reasons for this cannot be investigated in depth.